


A Hopeful Ending

by NerdyNostalgia



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura lives but she hasn't returned yet, Canon Universe, Getting Together, Hopeful Ending, Lions leave, M/M, Not Epilogue Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:54:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23989195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyNostalgia/pseuds/NerdyNostalgia
Summary: The first annual dinner to celebrate the anniversary of the end of the war was a success but it made Keith contemplate what had happened, but particularly what was to come next. Shiro finds him and the two had a talk.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	A Hopeful Ending

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a much more hopeful ending that what we got in S8.

Keith leaned on the railing overlooking the courtyard, but his eyes were on the stars. It had been a year since the official end of the war yet the work was only really beginning. The universe needed rebuilding after the fall of the Galra empire and he was more than happy to help with the rebuilding effort. It felt good to be helping but not fighting. But that didn’t mean he didn’t miss his friends. They had gone their separate ways and the dinner they had earlier had been the first opportunity to meet up.

The entire thing had been bittersweet. It was nice to meet and catch up but Allura’s absence was felt. They still had no idea when, or even if, she would be back. Keith watched the stars twinkle in the night sky and couldn’t help but feel like Allura was out there. He didn’t know what she was wanting for or if they needed to go and look for her, but he knew she was out there.

He heard footsteps behind him but didn’t acknowledge the other person’s presence. The footsteps came closer and Keith didn’t move as the other person came to stand next to him. He looked out of the corner of his eye to see Shiro sigh. The older man looked up at the stars and a small smile appeared on his face.

“It’s beautiful out here.” Shiro said quietly.

“Yeah it is.” Keith whispered.

Silence then descended on the two as if to speak any more or any louder would disrupt the peace. The two simply watched the stars together but Keith’s mind began to wander. He and Shiro hadn’t talked much over the last year and he had greatly missed his best friend and he couldn’t help but worry about the growing distance between them. The silence was broken by a sigh coming from Shiro. Keith turned his head to see Shiro looking at the ground. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when Shiro started talking.

“Keith…” Shiro let the sentence fall away and Keith turned to face him, “Shiro?”

Shiro opened and closed his mouth. It was like he couldn’t get the words to leave his mouth. He wanted to say so much and yet he had no idea how to even begin. He turned and looked at Keith and felt guilty as he took in the sight of the scar on Keith’s cheek. He couldn’t draw his eyes away from it.

“I’m sorry.” He said.

“For what?” Keith replied, confused about what Shiro could be apologising for.

Shiro raised his hand and cupped Keith’s scarred cheek, “For this. I know I should have apologised before now and I’m sorry it took so long.”

Keith leaned into his hand and put his own over the top, “You don’t need to apologise. Haggar was in control of you when this happened. You aren’t to blame for this.”

“It was still these hands who hurt you.”

“You were being controlled. I know that you never would have done that if she hadn’t been controlling you.”

“I’m still sorry about it.”

Keith sighed, “You don’t need to be but if you need to hear it, I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago. You need to forgive yourself.”

“Keith.” Shiro felt overwhelmed at Keith’s words and knew that they were true.

“I never once blamed you for this. This was on Haggar. If anything it was a small price to pay for getting you back and it’s not like it impedes my life in any way. It was war. It was expected that we come out of it with a few scars, both physical and mental.”

Shiro nodded. He let his thumb run over Keith’s cheek and felt the difference between the scar tissue and normal flesh. He knew that Keith was right but it was difficult…but wasn’t that why he was now in therapy?

He studied Keith’s face and was surprised at the emotions that were visible in his eyes. The intensity with which Keith felt was breathtaking, especially when those emotions were directed at him. There were times that that scared him. He didn’t feel worthy of such devotion and he certainly didn’t know how to deal with someone loving him like that. He knew that Keith loved him and he felt like he didn’t deserve it. He had no idea what he had done to earn Keith’s love.

His eyes fell to Keith’s lips and an idea came into his head and it wouldn’t budge. Could he…? Should he…? He didn’t give it much more thought and took a step closer so there was no space between the two of them. Keith looked up at him with curiosity and Shiro leaned down. He gently pressed his lips to Keith’s before pulling away. Keith followed his lips and pressed his own against Shiro’s. Shiro put more pressure into this second kiss.

Keith pulled away and stared up at Shiro with the dreamiest expression Shiro had ever seen. A blush was on Keith’s face and he knew that there was one on his own.

“Wow.” Keith said as he looked down at Shiro’s lips.

“Yeah.” Shiro replied, their hands falling by their sides.

“So what now?” Keith asked as he took a step back.

“Well, I…I’m not sure.”

“You’re not?”

“I, um, I didn’t exactly plan to do that and I’m not sure…” He reached up to scratch the back of his head and his words were cut off by Keith surging forward and kissing him again. Keith pulled away but gripped Shiro’s jacket with both hands.

“Shiro, you have to know how I feel about you by now.”

“I…I, well, I do now. It’s safe to say that this confirmed suspicions I had.”

Keith rolled his eyes. He was thrilled by the kisses but now he wondered what Shiro wanted and what he was going to do. To know that the kisses were spontaneous filled him with both fear and joy.

“So what now?” Keith asked.

Shiro opened and closed his mouth a few times as he studied Keith’s face. He swallowed loudly, “I’m willing to try if you are.”

Keith couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “You mean…?”

Shiro smiled, “Yeah, I do. This thing between us, whatever it is, is too big, too important to ignore and I don’t want to ignore it anymore. I want to give us a go. I want to try. I’ve missed you over the last year and I don’t want to spend my life wondering ‘what if?’”

Keith nodded as a grin formed on his face, “I want to give this a go too. I missed you too. I know we’ll have to work around our schedules and figure some things out, but I want to try.”

Shiro reached up and brushed a few stray strands from Keith’s face, “I know that we still have a few things to talk about but I don’t want that to get in the way. We will talk though, we need to.”

Keith nodded before leaning up again. This time both melted into the kiss and their arms wrapped around the other. They gave in to their desires for one another. The kiss quickly deepened which prompted Shiro to pull away. Keith looked up confused.

“Shiro?”

“I think we should slow down. I want to do this right. I’m terrible at relationships at the best of times and I don’t want to do anything to mess this up, as much as I would love to go further.”

“Shiro, I’ve wanted you since I was sixteen. I’m sure I’ve loved you just as long. I don’t want to wait any longer if I don’t have to.”

Shiro was speechless. He wasn’t sure how to take Keith’s words.

“Are you sure? I mean, have you ever done it before?”

“Well, no I haven’t. I know that I don’t want to wait, but if you don’t want to then I can wait.”

“Only if you’re sure.”

Keith nodded, “I’m sure.”

Shiro nodded and leaned down to kiss Keith again. God, he loved kissing him. He was quickly growing addicted to the feel of his lips. The two then made their way to Shiro’s room where they gave into their physical desires.

* * *

Later that night Keith was awakened by the familiar rumbling of the Black Lion in the back of his mind. He looked around the room and smiled when he saw Shiro asleep beside him and their clothes littered around the room. He still couldn’t believe that the previous night had even happened. It felt like a dream that he got to call Shiro his.

He felt the rumbling again and this time he was filled with a sense of urgency, especially when he heard engines roar close by.

“Shiro!” He said as he sat up, “Shiro, wake up!”

The older man’s eyes opened and he smiled when he saw Keith. His smile disappeared when he noticed the look on his face, “Keith? What’s wrong?”

“Somethings happening to the Lions. We have to go.”

The two sprang out of bed and grabbed the closest clothes to them. Luckily that turned out to be pyjamas but they had picked up the others bottom halves. The two gave it no mind as they ran out to the courtyard where they met the others.

Before any of them could say anything the Lions flew in front of them. Each was filled with a sense of sadness as they realised that the Lions were saying goodbye. They stared at them for a few moments before the Lions turned around and flew away.

“Where are they going?” Hunk asked.

“They can’t just be leaving us!” Pidge exclaimed.

Keith looked down and put his free hand over his heart, “They're not. I have a feeling we'll see them again.”

“You seem sure about that.” Shiro said as he looked down at him.

“I am sure.” Keith said as he smiled up at Shiro.

“Then where are they going?” Lance questioned.

“Somewhere we can’t follow. I have a feeling it won’t just be the Lions that we'll see again either.”

Lance nodded as he felt energy flow from the Altean marks that Allura had given him. He knew what Keith was suggesting was true but he didn’t like to be left behind. The group turned back to the night sky bit the Lions were already out of sight. Who knew when they would see them again.

They each turned back towards the building when Lance lifted an eyebrow when he finally took in how Keith and Shiro were standing, “Why are you wearing each other's pyjamas? And why are you holding hands?”

Keith rolled his eyes, “Take a guess, genius.”

Lance stood with his mouth hanging open as it dawned on him. Hunk covered his mouth when he realised what Keith was saying and Pidge tried to contain her laughter at Lance.

“What? How? When? When did this happen?”

“Yesterday.” Shiro replied smiling as he lifted his and Keith’s joined hands.

“I mean, it’s about time.”

Shiro and Keith looked at each other confused as the other started to congratulate them. Pidge laughed and decided to explain and take pity on them.

“Let’s just say that you two are a bit obvious in how you feel about each other. There’s been a betting pool as to when you two will get together for a while.”

The two Black Paladins glared at her with blushes on their faces. Neither had any idea what to say to that.

“Well, it’s been an awful eventful night. I say we turn in and try and get some sleep. We shall wait and see what the Lions bring back when they do return.” Coran said as he yawned and stretched.

Everyone nodded and started to head back inside. The Lions leaving was bittersweet. On the one hand they felt like some friends had just left, but on the other they were hopeful that they would return and bring a much missed loved one back.

Keith stayed where he was and stared out into the night sky. He didn’t know why but he felt like this was the real end of the war. Once the Lions returned the universe could truly focus on rebuilding. He couldn’t help but feel like the end was near and they would be seeing the Lions sooner than they expected.

“Keith?” Shiro asked as he stood by the doorway.

Keith turned to his boyfriend, a thrill running through him at the thought. Shiro titled his head in question, “Everything okay?”

“It will be,” He walked over and reached for Shiro’s hand, “Let’s go back to bed.”

Shiro nodded and took one last look at the night sky before walking with Keith down the hallway back to his room. He too felt hopeful about the future, particularly if Keith was going to be by his side.


End file.
